Mississippi

Throughout his career, managing partner Merrida Coxwell has developed a reputation as a fierce critic of social and legal injustice. He has accepted many criminal cases that others shunned and believes in providing aggressive legal representation. He has distinguished himself in personal injury law with significant verdicts, including a $144 million product liability case and a $2.1 million civil rights case. His criminal defense work has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for over ten consecutive years and Super Lawyers of the Deep South. He is also an AV rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating for skill and ethical conduct. He represented 18 death penalty clients and successfully defended two major alleged drug conspiracies in Federal Court.

Charles M. Merkel, Jr.

Oxford, MS

For more than 40 years, Mr. Merkel has personally delivered more than 400 jury presentations in the representation of personal injury victims whose cases involved complex medical and technical injury mechanisms and causation problems. After graduating magna cum laude from the University of Mississippi School of Law in June 1966, Mr. Merkel accepted an appointment under the U.S. Department of Justice Honors Program and served for 4 years in the tax division of the Department of Justice in a refund trial section, trying tax refund cases in the U.S. District Courts over a five-state area. In October 1970, Mr. Merkel returned to his native Mississippi, accepting a position with the firm of Sullivan, Dunbar & Smith. In 1973, he was involved in the formation of the firm of Holcomb, Dunbar, Connell & Merkel, where he was involved primarily in litigation until the spring of 1982, when Mr. Merkel and Mr. Cocke formed Merkel & Cocke, P.A. for the purpose of handling complex plaintiff's litigation with emphasis in medical malpractice, product liability, toxic torts, drug reactions, brain damage cases, and in general, all catastrophic personal injury cases. Mr. Merkel has received multiple jury awards ranging from $1 million to $20 million, and many more million-dollar settlements. He is active in trial lawyer activities and is a frequent lecturer on trial technique and advocacy, appearing at seminars sponsored by the Mississippi State Bar, Mississippi Association for Justice, American Board of Trial Advocates, and others. Mr. Merkel, a former college baseball player at Ole Miss, is a sports enthusiast and lifelong Ole Miss and NY Yankees fan. He enjoys playing golf and traveling with his wife and children, and is an avid duck hunter and outdoorsman.

Don Barrett

Oxford, MS

Don Barrett is a managing partner at Barrett Law Group, P.A., focusing on product liability, consumer fraud, antitrust, and class actions. He was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1969 and has received honors such as an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell and being named a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. He was also recognized as a National Trial Lawyer of the Year by Public Justice in 2019.

John F. Hawkins

Jackson, MS

John is the principal of Hawkins Law, P.C. in Jackson and has been fighting for the rights of injured people, victims of abuse and neglect, and small businesses since graduating from law school in 1993. John works hard and cares deeply for his clients.

Rogen K. Chhabra is a founding partner of Chhabra, Gibbs & Gustavis, P.A., leading the workers' compensation department. He has been admitted to practice in all Mississippi State and Federal courts, and has received multiple awards including the Law-Related Public Education Award and Lawyer of the Year. He also coaches mock trial teams.

Robert J. David

Ridgeland, MS

Robert J. David was born in New Roads, Louisiana in August 1943. He graduated from St. Joseph’s High School and attended LSU and SLU, earning a B.A. degree in 1966. In 1969 he received his Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School, where he served on the Loyola Law Review. Representing patients and their families in medical malpractice cases is the principal focus of Robert’s practice. He has been named to Woodward/White’s “The Best Lawyers in America,” for twenty-two consecutive years. He is listed in “Louisiana Super Lawyers,” and was named one of the “Top Ten Attorneys in Louisiana.” He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a Fellow of the American Bar Endowment, a Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys with Special Competence in Medical Professional Liability.